Exterior structure for keyboard instrument

Abstract

An exterior structure for a keyboard instrument, which is capable of dramatically increasing the variation of producible types of keyboard instruments while suppressing the cost of molds. A lower case includes a front-side lower case LCf and a rear-side lower case LCr disposed rearward of the front-side lower case LCf in a side-by-side fashion. An upper case UC is disposed above the lower case. The front-side lower case LCf is fastened to the upper case UC, and the rear-side lower case LCr is fastened to the upper case UC, whereby the lower case is secured to the upper case UC.

1. A structure for a keyboard instrument, including a case structure for mounting a keyboard unit therein, comprising:
 a lower case including a front-side lower case, and a rear-side lower case disposed rearward of said front-side lower case in a side-by-side fashion; and 
 an upper case disposed above said lower case, 
 wherein said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case are not integral and are coupled to each other in a region not substantially overlapping with the keyboard unit in a front-rear direction, and 
 wherein said front-side lower case is fastened to said upper case in at least said region and said rear-side lower case is fastened to said uppercase in at least said region, whereby said lower case is secured to said upper case. 
 
   
   
     2. A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said upper case has at least one first fastening part and at least one second fastening part,
 said front-side lower case having at least one first fastening part-associated part that is associated with said first fastening part of said upper case and includes a contact surface curved in cross section, and having at least one second fastening part-associated part that is associated with said second fastening part of said upper case and includes a contact surface curved in cross section, and 
 the structure further comprising at least one first fastening member for fastening said first fastening part of said upper case and said first fastening part-associated part of said front-side lower case and at least one second fastening member for fastening said second fastening part of said upper case and said second fastening part-associated part of said front-side lower case, and 
 wherein said first fastening member is fixed to a fixing part of said first fastening part, 
 said second fastening member is fixed to a fixing part of said second fastening part, 
 said first fastening member is brought into contact with the contact surface of said first fastening part-associated part, and 
 said second fastening member is brought into contact with the contact surface of said second fastening part-associated part. 
 
   
   
     3. A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lower case includes at least one guide part for guiding a cable for electrical wiring of the keyboard unit in a rearward direction. 
   
   
     4. A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said upper case has at least one third fastening part,
 said rear-side lower case having at least one third fastening part-associated part associated with said third fastening part of said upper case, and 
 the structure further comprising at least one third fastening member for fastening said third fastening part of said upper case and said third fastening part-associated part of said rear-side lower case. 
 
   
   
     5. A structure as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a speaker provided between said rear-side lower case and an associated part of said upper case associated with said rear-side lower case. 
   
   
     6. A structure for a keyboard instrument, including a case structure for mounting a keyboard unit therein, comprising:
 an upper case including at least one first fastening part and at least one second fastening part; 
 a front-side lower case including at least one first fastening part-associated part associated with said first fastening part of said upper case; and 
 a rear-side lower case disposed below said upper case and rearward of said front-side lower case, and including at least one second fastening part-associated part associated with said second fastening part of said upper case, 
 wherein said front-side lower case and said-rear side lower case are not integral and are coupled to each other in a region not substantially overlapping with the keyboard unit in a front-rear direction and 
 wherein said first fastening part of said upper case and said first fastening part associated part of said front-side lower case are fastened to each other in at least said region, and said second fastening part of said upper case and said second fastening part-associated part of said rear-side lower case are fastened to each other in at least said region, whereby said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case are secured to said upper case to thereby construct the case structure. 
 
   
   
     7. A structure as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case have overlapping parts at which said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case are coupled to each other in a manner overlapping each other in the front-rear direction, the structure comprising a keyboard unit-supporting part for supporting the keyboard unit being formed at said overlapping parts of said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case. 
   
   
     8. A structure as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said upper case includes left and right side sections extending over a length of the case structure in the front-rear direction thereof, and said left and right sections have at least one first fastening part and at least one second fastening part, respectively. 
   
   
     9. A structure for a keyboard instrument, including a case structure, comprising:
 a plurality of respective types of upper cases; 
 a plurality of respective types of rear-side lower cases; and 
 a single type of a front-side lower case for supporting a keyboard unit, 
 wherein the case structure is constructed by selectively mounting one of said plurality of respective types of upper cases and one of said plurality of respective types of rear-side lower cases to said front-side lower case in a region not substantially overlapping with the keyboard unit in a front-rear direction, said front-side lower case and said one of said plurality of respective types of rear-side lower cases are not integral and are coupled to each other in said region. 
 
   
   
     10. A structure for a keyboard instrument, including a case structure for mounting a keyboard unit therein, comprising:
 an upper case; 
 a front-side lower case; 
 a rear-side lower case disposed below said upper case and rearward of said front-side lower case; and 
 a fastening device, 
 wherein the case structure is constructed by assembling said upper case, said front-side lower case, and said rear-side lower case, said front-side lower case and said-rear side lower case are not integral and are coupled to each other in a region not substantially overlapping with the keyboard unit in a front-rear direction, and 
 wherein said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case each have a wall extending in a substantially vertical direction, and 
 wherein said wall of said front-side lower case and said wall of said rear-side lower case are arranged close to each other in opposed relation, when said upper case, said front-side lower case, and said rear-side lower case are assembled to each other, and fastened by said fastening device in at least said region. 
 
   
   
     11. A structure as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein one of said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case has a floor part, and the other of said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case has a floor part-associated part associated with said floor part, said floor part being formed to extend in a manner continued from said wall of the one of said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case, said upper case, said front-side lower case, and said rear-side lower case being assembled to each other by bringing said floor part and said floor part-associated part into contact with each other, and fastening said front-side lower case and said rear-side lower case to said upper case by said fastening device at parts of said floor part and said floor part-associated part via which said floor part and said floor part-associated part are in contact with each other. 
   
   
     12. A structure as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said floor part has a keyboard unit-supporting part for supporting the keyboard unit, and said floor part extends on said floor part-associated part in an overlapping manner when said upper case, said front-side lower case, and said rear-side lower case are assembled to each other. 
   
   
     13. A structure as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said keyboard unit-supporting part has a protrusion for contact with the keyboard unit so as to function as a positioning reference of the keyboard unit in a front-rear direction thereof. 
   
   
     14. A structure for a keyboard instrument, including a case structure for mounting a keyboard unit therein, comprising:
 an upper case; 
 a front-side lower case including a bottom plate part; 
 a rear-side lower case disposed below said upper case and rearward of said front-side lower case; and 
 a fastening device, 
 wherein the case structure is constructed by assembling said upper case, said front-side lower case, and said rear-side lower case, said front-side lower case and said-rear side lower case are not integral and are coupled to each other in a region not substantially overlapping with the keyboard unit in a front-rear direction 
 said front-side lower case having a gutter-shaped part formed such that said gutter-shaped part rises from a rear part of said bottom plate part to define a recess opening downward, said gutter-shaped part having a keyboard unit-supporting part formed in an upper part thereof, for supporting the keyboard unit, 
 said rear-side lower case having at least one connecting protrusion formed at a front part thereof in a manner protruding upward for being fitted into the recess of said gutter-shaped part, and 
 said fastening device fastening said upper case, the keyboard unit, said front-side lower case, and said rear-side lower case to each other in at least said region via contact parts of said gutter-shaped part and said connecting protrusion where said gutter-shaped part and said connecting protrusion are brought into contact with each other in a vertical direction, by fitting said connecting protrusion into the recess of said gutter-shaped part. 
 
   
   
     15. A structure for a keyboard instrument, including a case structure that includes a lower case and an upper case,
 wherein said lower case includes a front-side lower case and a rear-side lower case, 
 wherein said front-side lower case has an upper face thereof on which a keyboard unit is disposed to have a free end thereof directed forwardly and a key support thereof directed rearwardly, 
 wherein said front-side lower case and said-rear side lower case are not integral and are coupled to each other in a region not substantially overlapping with the keyboard unit in a front-rear direction and 
 wherein a rear part of said front-side lower case, which faces the key support, and a front part of said rear-side lower case are fastened to each other through a fastening device in at least said region.